Beauty into Blood
by Phanic-At-The-Chemical-Fallout
Summary: 47th Hunger Games fanfiction.
1. Reaping

I stare into the vast desert around me. No water source or hiding spots. Weak weapons and dirty water are the only things in the Cornucopia. Everyone seems stronger and bigger and more confident than me. My pod malfunctions, I guess, because I see my body parts fly with the explosion of the pod.

I wake up, safe in my bed. _Breathe, Chiffon, breathe. It was only a dream._ I allow myself to lay motionless in bed for a few minutes, enjoying the texture of my bedsheets. It's probably about two-thirty in the morning. I push myself up and look out my window. My main one, that is. All four of walls in my room are made entirely out of glass, a truly beautiful thing. I move my toes through the pure white carpet, yet another luxury only available to people who live in The Heights. The Heights is the top part of District 1, where only the richest families live in modern mansions inspired by Capitol designs.

I can see most of 1 from here. There's the main city, of course. Big and modern, built using the money given to us by the Capitol for all the luxuries they receive from us. It's mostly white in there, with beautiful glass buildings where the people with great jobs work. I have one of those jobs: fashion designer. I design hundreds of colorful and unique outfits for the Capitol. I get tons of money in return, a free trip to the Capitol every month, and I actually enjoy it. Every person in 1 must start working at age 13. I, being a member of the probably wealthiest family in 1, got a free choice of a job, and there was **lots** of options.

Beyond the city is the jungle. This is where my other rebellious friends and I meet up to hunt, practice our survival skills, hang out, or get away from all the modern things that are in The Heights and the city. We built what I guess is a treehouse to store our weapons and game. It's pretty useful to hide everything in there. The jungle itself is huge, and Peacekeepers don't even bother going that far away from the city. That's where the view from my window ends. Thank goodness it does, though, because I hate what's on the other side.

The other side, or the Diamond Ditch as most people call it, is where the more poor people of District 1 reside. Little do mindless Capitol people know that the "fabulous" gems that adorn their accessories (that I don't design, by the way. For me, it's just outfits.) actually came from some deep mine in a ditch. Some of the cloth they wear is made in the smoky factories that are a "disgrace" to 1. The very best fabrics and textiles, though, is made in 8. Either way, the Diamond Ditch is awful, where miners and factory workers work to try to live.

I make myself turn away from the calm, dark city and look into the mirror. My wavy blonde hair falls to my hips. My emerald green eyes stand out against my clean, pale skin. My sweatpants cover my skinny legs and my shirt protects my thin body. None of this being from starvation or anything, just exercising a lot. I change into my hunting clothes: a thick jacket, a warm shirt, cargo pants, and boots. I whip my hair into a loose bun and, as quietly as possible, creep out from my room and into our large, simple living room. Mostly white, (yes, more white. We have a lot of white here in 1.) with the furniture being a strong shade of scarlet.

I tiptoe out the door as the cool morning air warps around my bare skin. I start to run quickly down a path that leads to the jungle. Everyone can sleep in today, so even the Factors (people from the Diamond Ditch) don't have to work. After all, it's Reaping Day. My fifth reaping, and I should have never had to have more than 5 slips in that bowl. I guess being 17 and wealthy, you think that you are safe from the rigged Reapings. Not really, though.

The way Reapings work in 1 is rigged, even though the rules of the Hunger Games clearly state that any children eligible to compete cannot train. However, kids are forced to start intense training at age 10. District 1 is a Career district, and we are always desperate to win. Training is where I found my fellow rebellious friends. Every year, at the end of annual training, there is a normal Reaping, or the semi-reaping. All the children's (the ones who trained) names are put into the two normal glass bowls. Everyone's name is only entered once, for fairness. One name is reaped from each bowl, and those two people must become the tributes. No volunteering.

The rigging part starts when the trainers have to make the semi-reaping a reality. There are two ways. The original way was that any name could be pulled, and the semi-reaping tribute had to volunteer. That is a big no for me, because I would be too terrified to speak. The other way is that all the slips with the other children's names are counted. The same amount of slips are put in, but all of them have the name of the semi-reaping tributes. I chose the second option, because, well, it's easier getting reaped than volunteering.

I finally find the treehouse, following the map that burned its way into my mind. It requires taking 28 difficult wide turns and climbing 17 trees. I expertly climb up the thick rope, the only way to get to the door. I silently push it open, doing a quick stare at it. It would be my last time seeing it. A rack is on the wall that you see when you first walk in. The rack holds our weapons. Knives, swords, tridents, bows, and axes. There's a kitchen for cooking the bits of carcass that we each get part of if all five of us go hunting together (If someone goes hunting alone or without the entire group, each person gets to keep all of their game). There's a table that we use for some weird games we invent together and eating. There's beds and some basic first aid, just in case. Finally, there is what could be called a makeshift living room. A couch, table, and books.

"Why did you have to be the one to get chosen at the semi-reaping?" a sad voice asks. I turn around to find my boyfriend, Hale, staring at me. Tall, strong, and let's face it: hot. We have the same blonde hair and green eyes, too. We truly love each other. I feel a tear forming in my eye as he wraps his warm arms around my cold ones. "You okay, Chiffon?" he asks quietly. "Always." I mutter halfway through my tears. I shove my face into his shirt. "Where are the others?" I mumble. There's one other girl, Paris. The other two guys are named Vine and Calix. "Couldn't come. Their families woke the poor people up at four to get ready. It's about seven now." he says with a hint of happiness. "I've been up since two-thirty. Nightmares again." I admit.

He starts playing with my hair. "You think you can win?" he asks softly. "Probably not. I do have a better shot if my parents decide to send me sponsor gifts." I say calmly, then add, "By the way, while I'm gone, do not let my parents waste their money on sponsor gifts." If my family thinks I can still win with a little bit of help, and end up spending all their money on sponsor gifts, I would never forgive myself. Even if I was dead. They would have to move to the Diamond Ditch and become Factors. I find his hand and squeeze it as tightly as possible. "It would probably be better if you liked the other tribute." he says. The male tribute, some guy named Polyest, seems extremely annoying to me.

Hale gives me a light kiss on my forehead. "We should go." he stands up and offers his hand to me, a gesture I accept. I get one last scan of the treehouse, the books, and our weapons.

"I love you, Hale."

"I love you, too."

"Don't let my parents waste their money."

"Wouldn't dream about it."

"Watch when you can. Get a projector here."

"Will do."

"Only tell my parents to give me a gift from you if I'm dying."

"Of course. Try your best."

"Yeah. Come to say goodbye, and tell the others to come."

"I have a gift for you, either way. A token."

I completely forgot I could have a token. If Hale didn't have one for me and I remembered, I guess I could bring a dull sketch pencil. Probably wouldn't make it through the board, though. We slide down the rope instead of climbing down. The knee-high grass scratches me as we walk back. I start crying again when I go towards The Heights and Hale towards the city. If I die, I'm dead. If I win, I'm dead. What's the point, either way? I silently go through the door. No one is up yet. It's seven-thirty now. I walk quietly to my parents' room. "Guys... It's seven-thirty... should I get started with preparation?" I ask quietly. "Yes, please." My father whispers. My mother isn't even awake yet._  
_

I tiptoe to my room and type a few numbers in this touch-screen pad installed into the wall. I can call people, such as my friends and stylist, and send a message. "Ivory, wake up and come to the house in five minutes!" I shout into the microphone. "Will do, sweetie!" a cheery voice replies. My stylist, Ivory, is one person I slightly trust. She is sort of clueless, but there's a little bit of the Capitol in everyone. I quickly change into my pajamas and hide my hunting clothes. Just as I shove my left boot under my bed, several knocks come from the door. "Coming!" I shout.

I open the door and stare at her. Long, thin black hair with white highlights. Beautiful brown eyes. Tall and pale skinned. Actually, Ivory is from 8, but she escaped. She wraps her arms around me. "Are you ready?" she asks, putting on a fake Capitol smile and striking a stupid pose. "Ready as I'll ever be!" I giggle. We walk to what should be a useless room. Instead, we made a place where she could do whatever. Use makeup of every shade, use hot irons on my hair, pick outfits, and accessorize. She sits me down at a mirror. "I have something planned for you. You're not going to like it. But stick with me here." She walks over to the revolving closet and presses buttons. "I want you to look good for the Capitol and on the train. And for your new stylist." The rack finally stops spinning.

Ivory pulls out a white dress. Made out of chiffon. Diamonds decorate the neckline. A smile falls on my lips. "And you said I wouldn't like it." I say. I take off my clothes, and Ivory helps me put on the dress. It stops at my upper leg. The diamonds shimmer against my chest. "Let's get started." Ivory says. I get to sit down again as she works her magic. White covers my eyelids, and tiny fake diamonds decorate the skin between the bottom of my eye and my eyebrow. My lips are coated with pink lipstick. I am put into white, 6-inch high heels. She brushes my hair and uses tools to make it curly. She makes me put on necklaces, bracelets, and rings. "You're ready." she announces.

I stare at myself in the mirror. This looks nothing like the girl from the jungle. I look like a goddess, not like a District 1 resident or a Capitol teenager. "Thank you, Ivory." I whisper. "Please win, sweetie. I got a lot more planned for you." She gleams. For a Reaping in District 1, I am slightly underdressed. Every year, I see girls with purple and pink smoke coming from their hands, or guys having suits that glow like the sun. It's all high-tech. "Spin." she commands. I give a light twirl. She smiles even more. "You are ready, sweetie. Reaping starts in a half-hour." She says. "Goodbye!" Ivory says, in a false-cheery voice. I sadly watch her go.

"Good luck. We will miss you." my mother says. "You look beautiful." my father says. He gives me a twirl, like the kind people do while dancing. I manage a smile. I slowly walk out the door and onto the path. I will truly miss The Heights, but not as much as the jungle. I finally reach the city square, decorated with multi-colored gems and Panem flags. "Chiffon Perox." I announce to the man. He pricks my finger and lets my blood drip on a clear slide. Pointless. I walk to the Age 17: Girls Section. I stand across from Paris. She looks beautiful in a long, pale purple dress and matching flats. I look for Hale, Vine, and Calix, but I can't find them.

"WELCOME!" A women's voice booms over the speakers. Everyone turns to Idum, our idiotic, cheerful escort. She's my escort now, which is one more problem to worry about. "Hello there! Glad I have your attention!" Idum gleams, having the same smile Ivory had earlier. "Welcome to the District 1 Reaping for the 47th Hunger Games!" she exclaims. Silence. She frowns slightly, and I look at her neon green lipstick. One of my **many** friends from school designed that hue. "LADIES FIRST!" She quickly screams with a large smile.

I get a quick glance at the bowl. No chance of anyone getting reaped but me. I close my eyes. _It's not real. It's not real._ "CHIFFON PEROX!" Idum announces. I saunter up to the stage. "How old are you?" she asks. It sounds like she actually wants to comfort me. "Seventeen." I tell her. I can see Hale now. A single tear rolls down his cheek. "Next are the boys." Idum announces. She reaches into the other bowl. "Polyest Smith!" Idum declares. Scrawny, 14-year-old Polyest walks up. Gold hair, brown eyes. Diamond Ditch boy.

"And may I present to you, the District 1 tributes of the 47th Hunger Games, Chiffon Perox &amp; Polyest Smith!"


	2. Welcome to the Capitol

The leather of the couch feels calming against my shaking hands. I don't want to cry, I'm too tired and I don't want to ruin Ivory's last makeup job on me. It's been 5 minutes since the Reaping, at most. I just look down. My shoes show a dull reflection of me. The door slowly creaks open. "Leave me alone." I shout. "Sweetie, the pain isn't going away any time soon." Ivory says. I look up. Her makeup isn't messed up, but her eyes are red. She looks more pale than usual. She hugs me lightly. "Shine out there, sweetie. Make me fashionably proud." She gleams. I push my head into her shoulder. "Where are my parents?" I ask, worried. "They're next up. I have to go. I love you!" Ivory shouts, as she is dragged out by a Peacekeeper.

I hear footsteps running from the hall into the room. "Chiffon, win. Please win!" my father exclaims with a croaky voice. Wow, I never knew my father to be one who cries. I don't care. "Chiffon, beautiful, please look up." my mother says. I just stare at them. "Don't do sponsor gifts unless Hale, Calix, Vine, or Paris tells you to. Don't leave the house. Keep Ivory safe." I command. They both manage a nod. I hold their hands tight. "I love you guys. Don't forget that." I whisper. "We love you, too. We will be watching, we promise." My mother says. "GOODBYE!" I shout, on the verge of crying. Both of them are dragged out. Done.

Paris storms in. Her bleached blonde hair flies straight behind her and her dress drags against the floor. She looks about ready to kill someone with her eyes almost shooting out of their sockets. "I HATE THE CAPITOL!" she shouts, staring straight into the camera, "HATE!". I twiddle my thumbs. "Chiffon. Win and defy them. Show them we won't stand their wrath any longer." She exclaims. "Are you taking this too far?" I ask. "Yeah. Why aren't you taking it farther?" Paris asks. It makes me feel guilty as she gets drags out and begs to stay with me.

Calix and Vine don't even show up. Thanks for the support, guys. I can't help but to cry when Hale comes. He tightly wraps his arms around me and joins me in crying. Each person gets 5 minutes with me. Hale is my last person, so he gets all the extra time. "You can win. You've trained for this your entire life." He whispers. "You're the best hunter out of all five of us in the jungle. You've got a Career bonus and you can work with at least five weapons." he says. No, I don't. Because of Polyest. If he isn't Career material, neither am I.

He thrusts something into my hand. I feel nervous. I open my curled hand and stare at it (hopefully you've figured out I stare a lot). A bracelet. It has a silver chain that doesn't shimmer the slightest bit. But on the chain is charms. There are five little charms: a pencil, tree, diamond, dress, and a heart. It is probably one of the few things the Capitol has ever made. "Thank you." I whisper as I slide it on. We kiss, (on the lips, of course) long and hard for about 5 minutes. Then comes the Peacekeeper. He grabs Hale's shoulders and starts to drag. "NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE! LET HIM STAY! NO!" I screech.

But it's too late. I see his emerald eyes, sad and confused, flash away. I cover my own eyes, no longer afraid to mess up Ivory's work. I just want to die now. "Miss Perox, we best be leaving now." I look up at Idum. A light, manicured hand lays on my shoulder. "We can eat, I promise." she says, once more trying to comfort me. I am pretty hungry after all the crying. She takes my hand and leads me to the train like a 6-year-old. I sit down on the first couch I can find. Unfortunately, that's across from Polyest, who's eyes are somehow more red than mine. "I do not know where your mentors are... hold on." Idum says walks into the next room.

"What's it like?" Polyest asks. "What?" I ask.

"What's it like being from The Heights? Servants, music, cars... you know?"

"I don't know, because not even Heights people get that. What about the Factor life?"

"The worst. While you people can soak in clean water and not work, Factors have to work everyday since age 18 and bathe in dirty water."

"I'll have you know middle-and-high-class people work harder, and have to start working when we all turn 13. That's how we get the cash."

"The rich get the best jobs and get paid millions."

"The poor get our dirty, used water."

The water insult was supposed to hurt, but he gives some sort of rueful smile. The sliding door opens again, with the two mentors behind Idum. On the right, there is a strong, tall man. Same for the girl on the left. The girl gives a small sigh of relief when she sees my body. "Chiffon &amp; Polyest, meet Sapphire &amp; Matte, your mentors." Sapphire walks to another room. Matte just stands in the middle of us. "Great," he moans angrily, "A Factor boy and a Rich Bitch from The Heights. A perfect combo." He grunts. He reaches over the table to grab something. Polyest takes a knife and stabs hard between his fingers. Matte starts to run for the door. Just before the door opens, I expertly throw a knife at the door. The door is stuck open from my knife. The dull side hits the door and the blade hits the wall. A wedge of air the size of the knife stands between the door and wall.

"I underestimated." Matte says, his eyes open wide. He stares at the large cut between his fingers and the door, still open. I press a few buttons and the door opens automatically, with the knife dropping to the ground. "C'mon." I say, motioning to Polyest. We walk into the next room, where Sapphire is lounging comfortably on the couch, watching some program on TV that the Capitol puts on to entertain. Her royal blue hair flows over the arm of the couch. "I saw the knife. Feel the wrath of Matte yet?" she asks. I sit down next to her. "Nope. Chiffon threw the knife in the door, I stabbed him." Polyest says.

"When are we going to eat?" I ask, remembering Idum's promise. "Great minds think alike." Sapphire replies with a laugh. She stands up and opens the door. "Idum, when are we gonna eat? We're hungry!" Sapphire shouts. "Just one second! You can go to the table without blood!" Idum shouts back. The table that Polyest stabbed Matte at, she means. I saunter over to the other table, ready for Capitol food. It's probably better versions of the food I ate at home.

I can't help but look out the window with Polyest. Behind the glass is a roofed forest of some sort. There's a tiny dip down, which is a hill leading into the tracks. I want to see the Capitol badly. It will remind me of home. But we are a long time away. I sigh deeply as I turn away to the next room, where the clean table is. Next to the food is a note:

**TAKE WHAT YOU WANT, DINNER AT TRIBUTE LIVING QUARTERS**

**-IDUM**

I moan. We have to wait all the way until we reach the Capitol for dinner? I guess some food is better than none. I stare at the assortment of food. Crackers, small bowls of soup, alcohol of some kind, small pieces of lemon cake. But what catches my eye is undoubtably the chocolate fondue. I carefully pierce a strawberry with a stick and hold it under the fountain of creamy heaven called chocolate. I pull it out and shove it into my mouth (so that chocolate doesn't drip on the tablecloth). I try my best to savor the cool, refreshing juice of the strawberry mixed with the warm, sweet liquid chocolate. So for about half an hour I experiment with different things dipped in chocolate: bananas, marshmallows, even the lemon cake.

"We are almost at the Capitol!" Polyest exclaims, bursting into the room. He's right. The trees and hill start to get shorter, and the rocks start to disappear. I start a countdown for Polyest. "Three... Two... One!" I exclaim. Right as I say 1, the Capitol, big and beautiful, comes into clear view. Polyest's mouth drops wide open. Below us, dozens of the mindless Capitol people start to cheer. My God, they look like candy. Brilliant blues and yellows stand out against bright magentas and greens. They start to cheer, especially for me. "I'm glad they know you. No one knows some Factor boy. But everyone knows Chiffon Perox, Panem's greatest fashion designer." Polyest says, with just a hint of sarcasm. I feel kind of bad, actually. I know that he is a Factory Worker. But then Idum comes in, with an entirely new outfit.

"And, dear children, welcome to the Capitol!"


	3. Tribute Living Quarters

I put on my winning smile. I didn't ruin my makeup in the process of bawling my eyes out, thankfully. "Children. Follow. Me." Idum says, obviously annoyed that Polyest keeps staring at the window and that I keep pressing buttons to open the door to the snack room. We obey quietly. She leads us out of the main door and across a long, thick strip of white carpet. It goes until we reach the Tribute Living Quarters. "Okay. Do you know how this works?" Idum asks after walking us through the glass door. "We're on the first level, and it's like that. 12 is on the top." Polyest replies. How does he know that? "Um-m-m, not exactly. Those changes will be made after the 49th Games. We are on the top." Idum says with a large smile.

We walk to the elevator. "There are no buttons in the elevator. You use keycards. They recognize your District, and take you to the correct floor. Simple." Idum says, handing us two cards from her purse. A full-color picture of me is on it. My name, age, gender, district, occupation (they actually put Fashion Designer, not something like Outfit Designs), and my Panem citizen number are engraved into it. "Who wants to try?" Idum asks. Polyest quickly puts his card into the slot and pulls it out. The large glass elevator zooms up until we reach the highest level. The doors open with a tiny ding sound.

Polyest drops his card at the sight of our floor. Grey granite is on the counter tops and upper walls. There are small leafless trees, which have been painted silver. They remind me of Paris, because her house has tons of them. There are three small but wide steps made of thick glass. I quickly run down them into our living room. A black "L" shaped couch is on a big plum-colored rug. I remove my shoes and feel the cold, white quartz. The is a huge glass wall, bigger than the one at home, on the main wall. I look at the big glass table in front of us with an olive green rim. Small pieces of chicken, peas, lemons, and sauces sit untouched. Polyest and I look at Idum with a hopeful look. "Eat." she commands. We rush over to the couch and start eating.

I have always had manners. So even as starving as I am, I take my time carefully taking peas from the dish. I take a lemon and squirt it onto the pieces of chicken I put on my plate. I puncture a piece of chicken with my fork and look up at Idum before I dip it in a sauce. I'm expecting a wide smile. But she just frowns. She nods her head over to Polyest. He is stuffing chicken and peas into his mouth. Small pieces fall on his plate. "MANNERS!" Idum shouts as loud as possible to Polyest. Her voice is louder than it was in the microphone. He looks at her, still chewing. "Just look at Chiffon!" Idum exclaims, giving me the large smile I was looking for. He swallows and looks at me.

"Uh, yeah, no." Polyest says, raising his eyebrows at me. "At the Diamond Ditch, this whole meal could feed my family for a year and a half." I finally get to dip my chicken in the orange sauce. I eat as quickly as possible. It's sweet, but it's slightly tangy. I like it. "Um, Polyest? Do you want to try some sauce?" I ask, holding up the bowl of brown sauce. He eagerly takes the dish away from my hands. If I gave him the orange sauce, it would be gone is 2 minutes flat. "Where are Sapphire and Matte?" I ask Idum. She shrugs. "Why, they should be here by now..." Idum murmurs. I hear a tiny ding and turn around. Sapphire walks in, sits down on the couch, and slings her arm over my shoulder.

"How's the food?" she asks. She takes an individual lemon and takes a gentle bite. "The better question is, where in the hell is Matte?" Idum screams. "Oh... he, uh..." Sapphire hesitates. "He what?" Idum asks. "He... quit. He's a pussy and doesn't like being pushed around by the tributes." Sapphire admits. Idum gives one of those stupids gasps. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "No, we don't need him. No. He isn't needed." Idum announces. Sapphire's blue curls bounce as she looks up from her plate. "Good choice." Sapphire replies. Polyest's face looks as green as the table rim. He stops and leans backwards."Gah... Too... Much... Capitol-Food..." he moans. All three of us can't help but to laugh at him.

"And to think, there is still dessert!" I exclaim happily. He gives an even bigger moan. We laugh again. I realize this is first time I'm having fun since the Reaping. Polyest drags himself out to the bathroom, and we stay. "Here, turn around." Sapphire says. I turn away from her. "If only I was our stylist, I could do so much with your hair!" she moans. "Okay, this sounds weird... but can I experiment with your hair? I think I have a few styles you might like." Sapphire asks. I nod. So for about an hour, she braids and twists and brushes my hair until she's ready, then she will hold up a mirror to let me see. "I like this one." I tell her. A part of my hair is braided and put across my head, like a headband. My normal, blond waves stay down. Sapphire nods. "I'll tell your stylist." she says.

The table is then cleared and a silver dish is put down. On it is a white 4-layer cake, decorated in edible gems. An Avox comes and cuts the cake in narrow slices. I smile at the young guy, probably 19 years old. He gives me a nod. He puts a slice on a plate and hands it to me. I wait for Idum and Sapphire to get theirs before starting. Raspberry filling mixes with the taste of the vanilla cake in my mouth. I finish as quickly as possible. The Avox gives me a microscopic smile as he puts another slice on my plate and hands it to me. After 4 slices, I'm stuffed. "Um, where are the bedrooms?" I ask, looking around.

"Ah, and that leads me to my little talk. POLYEST!" Idum shouts. Polyest comes in, looking less green than before. "I barfed... In the nearest bathroom." Polyest admits. Idum looks disgusted. "Anyways, the bedrooms are down the hall. Polyest's room is farther down. Yes, it does matter. Tomorrow you meet your stylists. Sapphire and I will be doing paperwork here, if you need us. After tomorrow is the 3 training days. Then interview night. And then you will enter the arena. Okay? Okay. I will lead you to your rooms." Idum announces. Too many words. I walk down the hall until I see the first room. "Here." Idum opens the door.

I walk in slowly. More plum colored carpet. There's a bed, with black covers and an olive green base. Lots of bright silver and white, though. For such a strange palette of colors, the room feels bright. I belly-flop onto the bed. Velvet. There's also a big glass window to my right. A television is on the wall across from my bed. "Re-watch the Reapings." Idum commands. She closes the one-sided glass door. Black on the outside, clear on the inside. I press a button on the remote and the TV blasts on. I turn down the volume and start to watch.

The tributes from 2 are named Catia and Zander, who are perfect examples of Careers. Strong, 18 years old, confident. The tributes from 4 are named Oceane and Poseidon. They both seem fairly good, but Poseidon is getting a knife in the back. He has a stupid name too. The rest of the tributes seem scrawny, but some look trustworthy. I force myself to push away the thought. I've pulled the velvet covers over my body. I'm naked, except for my charm bracelet. I rub the dress between my thumb and pointer finger. Tomorrow I meet my stylist. I don't want to. I just want everything to return to normal, with Ivory as my stylist and Paris as my best friend and Hale as my boyfriend. I think of Paris again. _Take it farther._ I push myself up and stare at the camera.

"Fuck Panem."


	4. Tribute Parade

**Thanks to _Jamez S _and _keeta295 _for reviewing! I'm sorry I'm publishing this right before New Year's Eve, but I had to get it done.**

* * *

"Dearest Chiffon, wake up!" Idum says from outside my door. I moan. My muscles are sore and I'm as tired as hell. "C'mon. We have breakfast set up!" Sapphire shouts. "Coming!" I shout happily. I hear them laugh outside my door. I stare at the outfit of the day for me. A plain light grey shirt and black leggings. Once I put it on, I notice my shirt is a crop-top (a shirt showing my lower chest). I slip on some black boots and walk from the hallway to the living room. Idum and Sapphire are waiting, with no food on their plates.

"Why did you wait?" I ask. "Well, we could have eaten, but you were so patient yesterday." Idum replies. Sapphire pats part of the couch with her hand. "Come on, sit down." she says. I sit in the same spot as yesterday. Polyest saunters out. He's wearing clothes almost identical to mine: light grey shirt, black jeans, black boots. He grunts. "You put us in matching clothes?" I ask angrily. "I object!" Polyest shouts. "I second it!" I add. Idum sighs. "You have to be put in the same clothes, so that your stylist can see your body." she says. "Aw-w-w, little kids wearing matching outfits!" Sapphire exclaims. "I'ma kill you before the tributes." Polyest replies.

"I'm not single, by the way. So, I'll be helping Polyest." I say. Sapphire rolls her eyes as the Avox starts putting down platters. Eggs, smoked pork, pancakes, mini sausage links, fruit, &amp; milk. But there is something I've never seen before. It's clear brown liquid that's extremely fizzy. "What's that?" Polyest asks. He's learned to wait and not eat as much, obviously. "They call it soda. It's commonly served at breakfast. Can you believe people in past usually only drank it at night?" Idum laughs. "It's got a slightly weird taste to it. Go ahead and try it!" she exclaims. "You go first." Polyest says, poking at my bare ribs.

"Nah, you can try it before me."

"Ladies first."

"It's Opposite Day."

"That doesn't exist. Try it."

"Not before you do."

"You first, than me."

"My God, just try it first!"

"I don't wanna!"

"I dare you to try it first!"

"Dares? And I'm the childish one?"

"Excuses, excuses..."

"I'm not doing it unless you do."

"Fine!" I shout. I take the tall bottle and pour it into my glass. A white fizz forms at the top. "It's normal." Idum says. I hand the bottle to Polyest, who does the same. "One... Two... Three!" I exclaim. We both take a big gulp. I feel the fizz against my teeth. The taste is very strange. It's like vanilla, rum, clove, blackberries, amaretto, and ginger. We both look at each other. "Best thing ever." I admit. He nods. "I agree." Polyest says. We both take turns drinking gulps straight from the bottle until nothing is left. "Okay, you meet your stylists in 10 minutes. Chariot rides later. Let's go!" Idum exclaims. Sapphire gives a wave as we walk out the door.

"Okay. I can't come with you at this point. You go together in one car, to a... Preparation Building, I guess. You will meet your stylists and preparation crew, and spend the day with them. Chariot rides at 8. We'll be back here around 9. Go along, now!" Idum shouts. The elevator dings open. I whip out my card as we walk in. I do it like Polyest, putting it quickly in and out of the slot. The elevator zooms down. Two Peacekeepers walk in front of us, leading us to the car. I nod at the Peacekeeper that opens the door. I try to go in first, but Polyest hops in before me. "It's Opposite Day, remember?" he asks with a smirk. I roll my eyes as I sit down.

Nothing really happens in the car or at the door. We are separated, which I don't really mind. I'm put into a room. It's not what I'm used to (in terms of the Capitol). 3 people come in, two men and a woman. Capitol, obviously. It's my prep team. "Hello!" the man on the right says. He introduces himself as Ajax. The other man is named Syriox, and the woman is named Prudence. Calm, but, uh... unique people. "Let's get started!" Prudence exclaims.

Ajax is the strangest. He has neon yellow hair. His orange skin has a few faux diamonds. He wears a strange color of blush, sort of indigo, and has neon yellow mascara to match his hair. Syriox is the calm one. He has white hair with blue streaks. His skin is dyed a light shade of blue, only noticeable from a distance. His arms are coated with the strangest tattoos, including one that starts from his chin up. Prudence... can't be explained. Every strand of her hair is a different color, making it look like a rainbow vomited on dirt. Her lips, nails, and eyes (her contacts) are pink. Words are tattooed on her face.

"Stand." Syriox commands. I obey. "Skinny, but healthy. The Heights. Mm-hm. This will be awkward." Ajax says. He stands to lift my shirt off. "Wait! I can do it myself." I shout. I slowly lift off my little shirt. "Don't worry. We're used to it. The faster we start, the faster it will be done." Syriox says, patting the metal table. I climb on after I take off my boots and leggings. "I don't need something to bite down on. Thanks, though." I say. Prudence nods, putting back the smooth piece of plastic. I feel the wax against my legs. "Done. I'll go gentle." Prudence says. She takes the strip of paper. She goes slowly. Even though it's less painful, my legs are extremely red. "Okay. You don't have a lot of hair. Wax isn't needed, really. Just a treatment." Ajax says reassuringly.

I'm instructed to climb in a tub full of pink solution. It's warm (but thick) and smells like roses. I carefully lift one arm out and run my hand across it. All the tiny hairs that ever started growing are gone. "Here you go. Just soak your hair in it." Prudence says. I carefully lift up my hair and dip it in more thick solution, this time blue. I sit there for about an hour before a timer goes off. "Let's drain the pink, throw away the blue." Ajax says. "You can stand now. It will drip right off your body." Syriox says. I stand up. The blue and the pink instantly flow off of my body. My hair has it's natural wave to it, but it's soft and smooth. Same for my skin. I put on some paper robe thing. "Okay. Down the hall, turn left twice. Good luck!" Prudence shouts. I walk down the hall and turn left twice.

Once I'm finally in the correct room, I sit down on a red couch. It's like the one I had at home. "Um, we have work to do. Sorry, not sorry." a feminine voice says. I turn around to the door. The woman smiles. She has very dark purple hair that goes to her shoulders and a few gold piercings above her left eyebrow. Other than mascara, she doesn't have any makeup on. "I'm Kali." she says. "Chiffon." I reply. Kali sits down on the couch across from me. A pillar comes up from the center of the table, containing lunch. Little chicken bits (with the sauces), steamy rice, broccoli, and wine. "Let's talk while we eat." Kali says. I nod as I put some rice on my plate.

"So," Kali says, taking a sip of wine, "I'm your stylist. My assistant is with Polyest." I take a sip of wine. Crisp and strong, I close my eyes as I feel the fiery effect start on my throat after swallowing. I open my eyes to find that Kali has manners as well, as she takes the correct fork and spoon to eat. "I'm scared to know what you are going to do with me." I tell her. Kali looks up with a smile. "Okay. I have a list of what I will not do. I will not strip you down naked, I will not cut your hair, I will not spray paint you, I will not put weird colored contacts on you, I will not make you innocent looking, I will not shave off your eyebrows, I will not put you into an outfit similar to past ones, and I will not make you forgettable." she says.

I dip a bit of chicken in the orange sauce. I push it into the rice I have on my plate. As the tangy effect of the sauce mixes with the sticky rice in my mouth, I put some broccoli on my plate. I look through the glass wall onto the Capitol street. People, or Candies from a distance, go into white Capitol buildings and get cars to carry their shopping bags. That's just sick. I finish munching on my last piece of broccoli and having my last sip of wine. An Avox comes in to clear the food and bring in dessert. Chocolate fondue again, except with a lot more options of food to dip. I start to dip a strawberry into the chocolate as Kali dips in a marshmallow. "You like the chocolate fondue too?" I ask. Kali nods. "It's my favorite." she says. We keep doing that for half an hour.

"Okay. It's... 4 now. Let's get started." Kali says, standing up. "Okay, this one sided glass. Hopefully you can tell that others can't see us. Drop that stupid robe." Kali says. I take off the robe, happy that it won't bother me. "Stand up straight and put your hands at your sides." she commands. She starts to scan my body. "Mm-hm. They got you into good shape." she murmurs. "This is how it will look." Kali says, shoving a notebook in my hand. I stare at the design. My hair will be wavy, but blown back. I will have a small, flat crown of white flowers on my head. The flowers have little multi-colored gems in the middle. My dress is one strapped. It starts out white, then has a ombré effect and the bottom is black. Tall, elegant black heels. I love it.

"It's beautiful." I tell Kali. "I wanted to make it mean something. You know the Capitol uses 1. There is only one true luxury, the gems. The rest is back and white. The gems and flowers represent the one bit of luxury the districts get. The white stands for peace, the black for war." she says. Kali picks up a black piece of metal and starts swiping on the surface. A glass tube (with the dress inside) comes out of the wall. A pillar comes from the table (replacing the one that had our lunch) with the flowers and shoes. "Try it on." Kali says, opening the tube. I put on the dress. It's thin and light and flowing. My calves show at the front, but at the back they are covered. My tall, skinny legs show. The heels are 6 inches high, but I'm used to it. "Let's do your hair and makeup, and then put on your little crown thing." Kali says.

She leads me out the door to some other room. One wall is a mirror, just a mirror. The wall across it has beauty products galore. Pictures of hair styles hang on the wall with hot irons for hair, hair brushes, and hair dye. On the tables below is tons of makeup. Foundations, blush, eyeshadow, concealer, lipstick, press-on eyebrows and eyelashes- anything imaginable. And I thought my studio at home was impressive. "Sit and close your eyes." Kali commands. She tilts her head, showing the tattoos all over her neck. For a long time, too long to keep track of, she works on my makeup. I feel one last stroke of something on my lips. "Alright. You can stand and look." she says. I open my eyes. I have a black smokey eye that stops at the bottom of my eyebrows. My skin is one-toned thanks (and extremely pale) to the foundation. I have a very dark purple lipstick, darker than Kali's hair. I also have a black manicure, which I didn't even notice until now.

Almost instantly, Kali springs back into action with my hair. The hot iron must have been on while she was doing my makeup, because it's ready to go. She turns the iron diagonally, which makes it look like a thick stick. She takes a strand of my hair between her fingers, wraps it around the iron, and holds it on until a little beep plays. Then she moves on to the next strand. It's about 7 when she is done. I stand again. My hair gracefully blows backwards, looking the same as my dress. Kali carefully places my crown of flowers on my head. "Spin." Kali says with a smile. I twirl. My hair and dress float with me at the same time and pace. "Okay. Let's get moving." Kali says, leading me down a staircase.

I walk to the District 1 chariot. Polyest isn't there yet. I decide to take a good look around. 3 is pretty cool this year. Their costumes are grey, but they have glowing rings of blue and scarlet circling them. With 7, the tributes' hair is dyed green and fluffed up. Their outfits are brown. Are they supposed to be trees or something? I can't see the 10 outfits, but I can see them admiring their grey horses with a creepy glance. But then there's 12. Like usual, the tributes from 12 are nude and smothered in coal dust. I roll my eyes and turn around. Instead of the horses, I see Poseidon. Fishing-net wearing, stupid, smirking Poseidon. "Listen. Me and you, Floor 4. I have a big bed that gets cold on the other side." Poseidon says smoothly, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Get your hand off of me, you pervert." I say, shrugging his hand off of my shoulder. I'm not having sex with a fifteen year old. "Okay, pervert." Poseidon laughs. It's like he's drunk or something. "You didn't use that correctly. A pervert is a person whose sexual behavior is regarded as abnormal, dumb-ass. Get out of here, or I swear, the next bath you're going to take is on the ground in your own blood." I say angrily, on the verge of shouting. "You'll miss me." Poseidon says. He gives me one last smirk, turns around, and starts to walk away. I honestly did plan to have the tributes from 4 in our Career pack, but I'm starting to reconsider. I just can't stand Poseidon, and Oceane is even more scrawny in real life.

"I'm Zander." a voice says. I turn to the chariot for 2. A fellow Career. "Chiffon." I say. "Listen. In terms of the Career pack-" Zander starts. "Don't you dare even consider 4 joining us." I say, cutting him off. He nods. "District 4 is a no. Got it. But I'm here to talk about Polyest." Zander says, leaning back on the chariot. I guess Catia (the girl tribute) hasn't shown up yet. "I know nothing about him. But he did make one of our mentors quit because Polyest stabbed him with a knife." I say. "I don't know much about him either. But I know you're pretty bad-ass. You're in. But Polyest has a thin chance. Remember that." Zander says, hopping on to the chariot. Right at that moment, Polyest comes in. Zander gives me a nod and looks forward.

Polyest is wearing a suit with the same black-white ombré effect as my dress. His tie has the same multi-colored gems that are in the center of my flowers. His gold hair and brown eyes stand out against his pale skin. 'Hey." Polyest says, looking down. "What's wrong?" I ask. He shakes his head. I start to stroke one of our white horses. Polyest looks up. "I'm nervous, honestly. All this makeup and expensive clothes... It's not me. You seem pleased with your dress. So that's good." Polyest says. He carefully adjusts my crown of flowers. "TRIBUTES, BOARD CHARIOTS. PARADE STARTS IN TWO MINUTES." A robot voice announces. I hop on the chariot after Polyest. "Ready?" I ask, turning to Polyest. He smiles and nods. The Panem anthem starts. And our horses start to move.

We are first. Once the Candies first see the tip of the horses' snouts, they go ballistic. Screaming that could blast peoples eardrums, expressions that make you feel awkward. I put on my winning smile and start to blow kisses out to the audience. I've never heard them scream this loud at the parade, ever. They must really like us. My hair blows backwards elegantly like my dress. I find a sturdy grip without my hands somehow. I get a quick glance at Polyest. He's smiling, big and wide, and he's waving too. The drumbeats are starting to give me a headache. I hear the new host (who is only, like, 20), Caesar Flickerman, ranting on about out Tribute costumes.

We keep moving forward towards President Snow. He's in the 40-50 year old range, with a creepy glance and a black beard streaked with white. The screams die down as the other districts come. The audience is pretty much silent when 12 passes. I can feel Polyest trembling as we start to go in a circle under the balcony where Snow is waiting to make his speech. I look up. The President's eyes are trained on me. I fill with some kind of rage, one that I can't release or numb. I almost lose my grip when the horses stop, but Polyest grabs my wrist and pulls me up. We all look up as Snow starts his speech at his little podium:

"Welcome! Tributes, we welcome you. We salute your courage and your sacrifice, and we wish you Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor."

* * *

**Hello! A few quick other things. This chapter took me forever, because I kept changing and fixing things. For the Tribute Parade dress, I actually sketched the dress in real life. I just described my drawing in the chapter. This chapter took a lot of thinking, because it serves as a base to all the info I want to put in. I still have lots of stuff to think about here. I already know what I want to name the tributes, and I know how I want some tributes to die. No spoilers. After this, the next three chapters are the Training Days. The next chapter is the day of preparation for the Tribute Interviews. I might fit the actually Interviews with it if the first part is too short. Then the tributes enter the arena, which I have also designed. I might put 2 days together at some point. I plan on showing some days after the Games as well. Thanks! -Mockingjay**


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